The Klickitat Port Authority was established in 1945 after the Bonneville Dam was constructed in the 1930s. The Port of Klickitat has been an important transportation center and economic driver for the Columbia Gorge since its beginnings. The Port of Klickitat offers links to road and rail transportation for commercial enterprises and marine-based recreation for residents and visitors. The Port of Klickitat is open for business from 8:30am until 4:30pm from Monday through Friday.

The Port of Klickitat Commission sets policy that is implemented by the Executive Director. The Port of Klickitat contains three districts, each represented by a commissioner who is elected to a six-year term. The Port District's borders contain the western third of Klickitat County and include a population of over 12.3 thousand residents.

The Port of Klickitat owns and leases facilities at two business/industrial parks: Bingen Point Business Park and The Dallesport Industrial Park. The Bingen Point Business Park is zoned for commercial and light industrial use. The Dallesport Industrial Park, located across the Columbia from The Dalles, Oregon, is zoned for light and heavy industrial use.

The Port of Klickitat operates one barge and one towboat that can move four barges. The Port of Klickitat operates a marine terminal facility at the Dallesport Industrial Park that also has a terminal yard for short-term cargo storage. The asphalt terminal dock has berthing distance of 91.4 meters (300 feet) with alongside depths of 4.6 and 6.1 meters (15 and 20 feet) on either side. The Port of Klickitat plans a second terminal facility that has not been built yet.

The Port of Klickitat is planning to build a small intermodal container facility that will be equipped with a mobile harbor crane, a reach stacker, and a container trailer. The new Port of Klickitat terminal will have hook-ups for refrigerated containers.

The Port of Klickitat operates a small marina and several parks in Bingen. The Port of Klickitat owns Bingen Harbor and is planning a full-service boat moorage with amenities for the future. The Bingen Marina is open from dawn until dusk every day. The Port of Klickitat's Bingen Marina provides a two-ramp boat launch, restrooms, and parking for boat trailers. The Port of Klickitat plans to add moorage, a fuel dock, and a pump-out facility in the future.

The Port of Klickitat's Marina Park is located in the Bingen Point Business Park which is adjacent to the port. This 1.7t-acre Port of Klickitat park offers picnic tables and restrooms as well as parking, lighting, and shade trees.

The Port of Klickitat also operates a 1.75-acre Sailboard Park in the Bingen Point Business Park where there is easy access to the Columbia River. The Sailboard Park has picnic tables, parking, and portable restrooms.

The Port of Klickitat's Dallesport Industrial Park is adjacent to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway's Fallbridge Subdivision main line. The Port of Klickitat owns three tracks that connect to the BNSF. The Port of Klickitat plans to add a 518.2-meter (1700-foot) spur to serve its terminal facilities. A 1006-meter (3300-foot) extension will also be added to the West Spur. Interstate Highway 84 runs south of the Port of Klickitat on the Hood River side of the Columbia River.

SDS Lumber Company owns and operates a lumber dock in the Port of Klickitat to ship wood chips and log rafts. The dock has berthing distance of 304.8 meters (1000 feet) with alongside depth of 4.6 meters (15 feet), and additional berthing space is available 152.4 meters (500 feet) above the wharf. There are open storage areas at the rear of this Port of Klickitat dock with capacity for about 8000 BDUs of wood ships and 22 million board feet of logs. The plant is served by rail tracks that connect with BNSF.

Across the river from the Port of Klickitat in Oregon, the Hood River Port Commission owns, and the Nichols Boat Works operates a dock for mooring vessels and barges for repair at the marine repair plant and fabrication shop at the rear of the dock. The Nichols Boat Works dock has berthing distance of 98.8 meters (324 feet) with alongside depths of 2.4 and 3.0 meters (eight and ten feet).

Also on the other side of the Columbia River from the Port of Klickitat is the Port of Hood River Commercial Dock and Barge Mooring where passengers board/deboard and excursion vessels, barges, and other small vessels are moored. The dock has two moorage stations with berthing distance of 100.6 and 121.9 meters (330 and 400 feet) with alongside depths of 4.6 and 3.7 meters (15 and 12 feet), respectively.